The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 55 COVID patients today, 49 Monday. Other significant numbers:
- 33 with the active virus today, 27 Monday
- 5 in ICU, 5 Monday
- 2 on a ventilator, 2 Monday
Key points from today’s guests:
Dr. Steve Lauer, pediatrician, The University of Kansas Health System
- Conversations about eating well used to be an afterthought, but now it's really become a focal point because it affects so many children and families in this country.
- It's really one of the top two or three things that we talk about now in in any well child visits.
- Obesity can lead to several health issues, including diabetes, cardiovascular problems, musculoskeletal problems, kidney problems -- every organ system is affected if your body is just carrying too much weight.
- Prevention is still the best way to go at this.
- We have to change how we think about it, how we approach it, and have those conversations with families from the beginning about healthy eating habits and healthy activities that will help avoid putting kids on medications or even considering surgery.
Danielle Johnson, Ph. D., child psychologist, The University of Kansas Health System
- We do have to be very careful about drawing the lines of where health starts and where these the social impacts of being overweight come in and play negatively for these kids.
- Getting the right words around how to message this with families does take some time.
- When we have someone that's carrying excess weight, it really does impact their self-esteem and their mood.
- When we see kids that struggle with depression and anxiety, it can also cause an increase in weight because when we are feeling sad or down, we tend to eat more.
Eva Chevreux, nurse practitioner, Healthy Hawks, University of Kansas Medical Center
- Healthy Hawks is a stage two intervention for kids who have a BMI greater than the 85th percentile.
- We are a multidisciplinary team, so children and families will come in and meet with a behavioral psychologist or nutritionist and then a nurse practitioner to work on health and improve.
- Our primary focus at Healthy Hawks is talking about how to be healthy and strong and to live a long life.
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control, The University of Kansas Health System
- In today’s age, it can be more difficult to have those healthy lifestyle habits.
- Important to make those conscious decisions by kids to be healthy in any little way you can.
- It is vitally important to overall health and well-being.
Wednesday, Feb. 15 is the next Open Mics with Dr. Stites. We’ll take you live to the Chiefs Super Bowl victory parade, where you’ll meet the health system’s Dream Team that kept Patrick Mahomes and others on the field. And imagine getting your blood checked without having to go near a needle. We’ll outline a clinical trial of a Bloodless Blood Test.
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